It can be difficult for the general public to understand just how safe or unsafe air travel is at a glance. It is generally understood that air travel is safer than traveling by car or truck. But how much safer is this form of travel? This question can be particularly difficult to answer when it seems that all major aviation accidents receive extensive coverage by the media and all fatal auto vehicle wrecks generally do not receive such coverage.
Recently, Allianz released its 2014 Global Aviation Study, which gives the public, aviation officials and lawmakers a glimpse into the current state of aviation safety. Because it can be so difficult to understand the extent to which air travel is safe or unsafe, studies like this one are particularly important.
The Allianz study indicates that 3.3 billion passengers were flown to numerous spots around the globe during 2014 alone. Also during 2014, it is estimated that 50 million tons of freight were transported across nearly 50,000 air routes. There is little doubt then that air travel plays a critical role in the transportation of goods and travelers on a global scale.
The report highlights that air travel is indeed quite safe and is much safer than it was only a few decades before. At present, the Allianz study estimates the chances that an individual will die in an American or European airplane crash to be only one in 29 million. However, certain safety issues have yet to be fully addressed. Most pressingly perhaps is the fact that regional differences have contributed to varying levels of safety. Therefore it remains more probable that individuals will perish in aviation accidents if they travel in certain parts of the world as opposed to others.
